Annals Of Work Exposures and Health最新文献

{"title":"Mechanisms leading to occupational oral exposure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Marlene Dietz, Anke Kahl, Urs Schlüter","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxaf042","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In addition to inhalation and dermal exposure, also oral exposure is relevant in the workplace, even though this exposure route is most often neglected. In order to improve the understanding of occupational oral exposure, a systematic identification of mechanisms leading to inadvertent ingestion in the workplace is needed, including the transfer of chemicals and the contribution of aerosols.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic literature search was conducted according to the PRISMA method including 5 databases and 9 institutional websites. Information from the included studies was extracted in concept matrices and further analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 175 suitable publications were selected. Identified mechanisms leading to oral exposure were the transfer of chemicals, eg, from hands to mouth, and contributions from aerosols. Transfer influencing parameters were categorized as environmental, substance-specific, transfer pathway, surface, contact, or skin characteristics.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Even though oral exposure was mainly investigated for children so far, similar mechanisms can lead to oral exposure in adults. Although the parameters characterizing the transfer of chemicals were identified and categorized, inconsistencies in nomenclature were identified, and correlations between parameters and transfer efficiencies often remained unclear.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The transfer of hazardous substances and the contribution of aerosols were identified as mechanisms of oral exposure. Transfer parameters and the interplay between particles from aerosols and oral exposure were discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144706092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of dust and crystalline silica exposure during indoor demolition.","authors":"Johanne Ø Halvorsen, Pål Graff, Elin Lovise Folven Gjengedal, Torunn K Ervik","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf028","DOIUrl":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Exposure to dust and respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is a continuing concern in the construction industry when working with silica-containing materials, such as concrete, brick, or stone. Increased knowledge of the dust characteristics can be used to improve measures to reduce potential exposure. This study aimed to characterize dust collected from indoor demolition in terms of particle size distribution and mineral content, including quartz. Airborne dust was collected with Sioutas cascade impactors at five different construction sites involved in indoor demolition and renovation. Four of the locations had workers demolishing concrete, while at the fifth location brick structures were demolished. An aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) was used to continually monitor the particle number concentrations in the size range 0.54 µm to 17 µm. Material samples of demolished material were collected from each location to determine mineral content. The filters from the Sioutas cascade impactors were weighted to determine dust concentrations in five size fractions ranging from 10 µm down to less than 0.25 µm. Quartz concentrations were quantified with X-ray diffraction using the NIOSH 7500 method and Rietveld refinement was further used to determine other mineral content in the Sioutas impactor samples and material samples. Respirable dust and quartz concentrations were calculated from the Sioutas data. The mass- and number-based particle size distributions measured by the APS were similar for the four locations involved in concrete demolition, whereas the location working with brick had a different distribution. The concentration levels varied widely, and the highest levels were observed at an enclosed location with no natural ventilation where concrete demolition took place. Limited natural or mechanical ventilation led to an accumulation of smaller particles around 1 µm and a lower mass median aerodynamic diameter for RCS, down to 1.2 µm, compared to locations with ventilation. The quartz percentages of the dust collected by Sioutas impactors were found to increase with increasing particle size. The dust contained less quartz than the source material, and an up-concentration of softer minerals like calcite was observed. The knowledge of particle size distributions and concentration levels occurring in the field during indoor demolition is important to ensure effective measures to reduce worker exposure. The results highlight the importance of effective ventilation to reduce the accumulation of airborne particles.</p>","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":"641-651"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12262043/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144301024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exposure-response relationships for platinum salt sensitization in precious metal refinery workers: a 16-yr retrospective study.","authors":"Lidwien A M Smit, José Jacobs, Frits van Rooy, Dick Heederik, Remko Houba, Lützen Portengen","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf030","DOIUrl":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Occupational allergy to soluble chlorinated platinum (Pt) salts, also known as chloroplatinates, poses a serious health problem in precious metal refineries. We aimed to assess the exposure-response relationship between soluble Pt salts exposure and Pt salt sensitization (PSS) in a 16-yr retrospective cohort study (2000 to 2015).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed routinely collected data from 5 Pt refineries. In total, 1,614 newly hired workers who entered the industry since 2000 regularly underwent skin prick tests. Exposure to soluble Pt salts was modeled using 2,982 personal air samples. The relationship between time-varying exposure levels and PSS development was analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for smoking, atopy, and facility.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>PSS was diagnosed in 117 workers (1.48 per 100 person-years of follow-up time) with median time to PSS of 1.9 yr, and with an estimated median exposure level of 53 ng/m3 (P5-P95: 8 to 302 ng/m3) at the time of PSS development. Statistically significant quantitative exposure-response relationships between PSS and cumulative and current exposure were found. Exposure-response curves showed a steep increase in PSS incidence at exposure levels up to 100 ng/m3, with no or only a slight further increase at higher levels.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We found a clear exposure-response relationship between soluble Pt salts exposure and PSS incidence among newly hired workers. Despite the limitations inherent to the retrospective study design, this cohort study contributes to the growing body of evidence that the widely adopted occupational exposure limit of 2,000 ng/m3 does not adequately prevent PSS and should be reevaluated.</p>","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":"592-601"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144301026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New York City occupations at risk of heat stress: integrating O*NET and BLS data for occupational insights.","authors":"A Michael Ierardi, Brian Pavilonis","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf022","DOIUrl":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Extreme heat poses a growing threat to occupational health and safety in the New York City (NYC) metropolitan region with projections indicating substantial increases in heat wave events and heat-related mortality in the coming decades. We, therefore, aimed to identify NYC occupations at greatest heat stress risk using publicly available data. Two databases were mapped and merged to compile available occupational information for job titles in the NYC metropolitan region. Two certified industrial hygienists identified variables within these databases to include in a heat stress risk model and weighted these accordingly. Inter-rater reliability and agreement statistics were calculated. The final model was applied to the merged database to identify the scope of the NYC-region worker population potentially impacted by heat stress. The final merged database included 717 Standard Occupational Classification codes with data for 407 categories from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), as well as employment and wage data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Regarding the risk model, the raters' variable selection and weighting were generally consistent and entailed the inclusion of 11 variables. Upon applying the final risk model to the merged database, 178 880 total workers were found to constitute the top 25 at-risk job titles with total employment n > 500, with more than half of this identified workforce classified as landscaping and groundskeeping workers (n = 51 790) and construction laborers (n = 46 390). Our analysis successfully identified NYC occupations at greatest risk of heat stress, achieving our aim and providing a foundation for targeted mitigation strategies. The success of any extreme heat mitigation policies will depend on effective enforcement and outreach to impacted workers.</p>","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":"615-625"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144126175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The relation of musculoskeletal disorders to ergonomic work demands in welders and electrical workers: a prospective Canadian cohort study.","authors":"Nicola Cherry, Jeremy Beach, Jean-Michel Galarneau","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf029","DOIUrl":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf029","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Introduction: &lt;/strong&gt;Musculoskeletal disorders are known to result from physical demands at the workplace. Identification of risks specific to particular trades may encourage work modification to prevent new onset conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;In a Canadian cohort study of male and female welders and electrical workers, we collected self-reports of low-back pain, shoulder pain, and symptoms suggestive of vibration white finger (VWF) at each 6-monthly contact for up to 5 yr. Physician records of back and shoulder/joint disorders and Raynaud's syndrome were extracted from the Alberta administrative health database (AHDB). At each contact, participants completed questions on ergonomic work factors. We computed cumulative hours exposed for 6 factors: whole-body vibration, hand-arm vibration, manipulating heavy objects, working at or above shoulder height, working while crouching or kneeling, and work in cold environments. The relation of current and log cumulative exposures to health outcomes was identified by proportional hazards regression, adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, smoking, anxiety, and depression.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Of 1,885 workers recruited January 2011 to September 2017, 872 welders and 812 electrical workers recorded symptoms and workplace demands on at least one occasion, with 693 welders and 567 electrical workers matched to the AHDB. In final models, whole-body vibration was related overall to each self-reported health outcome with backpain risk most in evidence for male welders (HR = 1.10 log increase/h of exposure: 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.15, P &lt; 0.001). Working in a crouching position and in cold temperatures also contributed to back pain in welders. Cumulative hours working at or above shoulder height increased welders' risk of shoulder pain (HR = 1.07 log increase/h of exposure: 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.11, P = 0.001). Working at or above shoulder height was related to both back and shoulder pain in the electrical trades, where cumulative exposure to hand-arm vibration was an additional factor for shoulder pain (HR = 1.06 log increase/h of exposure: 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.10, P = 0.007). Manipulating heavy loads was a further risk factor for back and shoulder pain for women in electrical work. There were only 3 incident cases of Raynaud's syndrome in physician records: symptoms suggestive of VWF related strongly to work in cold environments but not to hand-arm vibration. Physician records of back pain did not reflect specific workplace demands, but physician records of shoulder/joint conditions were greater, overall, in those with longer exposure to whole-body vibration and to current hand-arm vibration in electrical workers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;Vibration, a well-recognized hazard, was a risk factor for all outcomes but with whole-body vibration more evidently a risk for welders and hand-arm vibration for electrical workers. The final models of risk factors differed importantly betwe","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":"626-640"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12262049/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144293261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modifications to the membrane filter method with phase-contrast microscopy (PCM) for fibre-counting to support a new occupational exposure limit value.","authors":"Martin Harper, Thomas W S Pang","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf032","DOIUrl":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The occupational exposure limit value (OELV) currently in force for the concentration of asbestos fibres in air in most of the world is 0.1 f cm-3. This value has been considered in some methods as the limit of detection (LOD) for the membrane filter method with phase-contrast microscopy (PCM). There is a directive within the European Union (EU Directive 2023/2668) to lower the OELV in member States to 0.01 f cm-3 from 21 December 2025. In the EU, OELVs are established with specific requirements for the expanded uncertainty around the target value, and to meet those requirements the OELV should not be a simple LOD. A value of approximately one-half of the OELV, if determined accurately, can give reasonable assurance of compliance with the OELV. There are several options available which can allow modification of the membrane filter method with PCM to measure 0.005 f.cm-3 as a time-weighted average (TWA) over a period of hours. As there will be fewer fibres on a sample, greater precision in counting is required. To achieve greater precision, (i) the filter background must be below 2.5 f.mm-2, which is achievable where filters are manufactured in a clean environment, (ii) microscopists must receive training and evaluation, e.g. through participation in a proficiency test program, and (iii) the sample size for counting will need to be increased by increasing the volume of air sampled and counting additional graticule areas. These modifications to the methods, taken together, should allow accurate measurements at 0.005 f cm-3, thus demonstrating compliance with an OELV of 0.01 f.cm-3 for a 4-h or 8-h TWA sample. Although these changes bring some additional cost in sampling and analysis, the PCM method could be retained. Continuing with the PCM methods has the advantages of low cost, capability for on-site analysis, and traceability to risk assessments based on prior PCM data.</p>","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":"569-574"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144301027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Overview of historical formaldehyde occupational exposure in China.","authors":"Jia Nie, Calvin B Ge, Nathaniel Rothman, Wei Hu, Qing Lan, Roel Vermeulen, Susan Peters","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxaf037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen related to leukemia and nasopharyngeal cancer. As China is the world's largest producer and consumer of formaldehyde, occupational exposure to formaldehyde may pose potential health risks to workers. We aimed to describe occupational exposure to formaldehyde over time in China.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Occupational formaldehyde exposure measurements were extracted from Chinese and English scientific publications as well as routine occupational hazard monitoring datasets. A weighted mean concentration was calculated by occupation and industry.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We extracted over 20,447 individual measurements from 73 industries and 70 occupations during 1979 to 2023 across China. The majority of measurements (19%) were from the industry \"Manufacture of veneer sheets and wood-based panels,\" with a pooled mean task-based concentration of 0.69 (0.02 to 4.98) mg/m3. Among occupations with over 200 individual measurements and a pooled weighted mean concentration of 0.5 mg/m3 or higher, \"Metal moulders and coremakers\" has the highest task-based concentration, at 1.40 (0.04 to 1.99) mg/m3. Formaldehyde exposure levels varied across occupations and changed over time. Before 1990, the overall pooled mean (range) task-based concentration was 1.60 (0.15 to 6.14) mg/m3, decreasing to 0.41 (0.00 to 12.0) mg/m3 from 2011 onward.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Occupational formaldehyde exposure in China has shown a declining trend over the past decades but remains high in certain occupations. Identifying high-risk industries and occupations can inform the development of targeted interventions and regulations to mitigate formaldehyde exposure. Furthermore, the presented exposure data can contribute to better exposure assessment in epidemiological investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of air recirculation and humidification systems on wood dust exposure during woodworking.","authors":"Anne Straumfors, Ine Pedersen, Erika Zardin Brinchmann, Torunn Kringlen Ervik, Anani Afanou, Kristine H Anmarkrud, Monica Eidhammer, Oda A H Foss, Nils Petter Skaugset","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf027","DOIUrl":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Employees in the woodworking industry, including carpentry workshops, wood product factories, and the wooden house industry, are exposed to wood dust at work. In Norway, this industry is exempt from regulations banning air recirculation, intended to prevent harmful substance buildup in working environments. While wood dust exposure is linked to increased risks of cancer and respiratory diseases, eliminating the exemption could have significant economic consequences for companies reliant on heated air recirculation during winter. A detailed characterization of the exposure is needed to evaluate the health risks associated with recirculated air. Wood dust contains components like resin acids, endotoxins, fungi, bacteria, monoterpenes, and aldehydes, which can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. Understanding these exposures is crucial for evaluating whether existing occupational exposure limits (OELs) adequately protect workers' health. This study aimed to assess wood dust and associated exposures in companies with and without air recirculation or humidification. Between 2019 and 2023, full-shift personal aerosol sampling was conducted in 23 companies during winter. Samples were analyzed for wood dust mass, endotoxin, bacteria and fungi, resin acid, monoterpenes, and aldehydes. Log-transformed exposure data were analyzed by mixed models using company types and work-related conditions as fixed effects. Results showed average exposure below OELs but with significant variability. About 25% of measurements exceeded the OEL for inhalable wood dust of 1 mg/m3. Air recirculation had mixed effects; it lowered the monoterpene exposure by 95% (from GM 597 µg/m3 to GM 27 µg/m3) but increased the GM microbial exposure 2 to 5 times across companies. The impact of air recirculation varied across company types. For building element production, it nearly doubled the wood dust exposure from soft woods (from GM 0.15 mg/m3 to GM 0.27 mg/m3), while for door/window manufacturers, exposure was nearly halved compared to those not using air recirculation (from GM 0.44 mg/m3 to GM 0.25 mg/m3). Air humidification lowered the inhalable dust exposure by 59% across the company (from GM 1.36 mg/m3 to 0.56 mg/m3) but led to increases in monoterpene by 90 % (from GM 86 µg/m3 to GM 792 µg/m3) and microbial exposure by up to 64%. Companies manufacturing interior products without a humidification system had resin acid exposure levels that were 10 times higher (GM 3323 ng/m3) compared to those with a humidification system (GM 344 ng/m3). The variability in exposures was mostly influenced by company-specific practices. Evaluation of preventive measures should therefore be tailored to the individual company.</p>","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":"652-664"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12262046/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144198157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of occupational exposure risk experienced by a cohort of workers exposed to acrylonitrile using a register-based information system.","authors":"Alberto Scarselli, Antonietta Porzio, Alessandro Marinaccio","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf021","DOIUrl":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aims to explore the extent of exposure to acrylonitrile in workplaces in Italy and its potential implications for workers' health.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Exposure measurements data (n = 31,599) on acrylonitrile reported in the period 1996 to 2022 to the Italian national register of occupational exposures, called SIREP, were collected and analysed. Concurrent exposures with other occupational carcinogens were investigated using SPSS 2-step cluster analysis. A retrospective register-based cohort mortality study was performed, and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated linking exposure data to national mortality statistics in the period 2005 to 2020.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most of the exposures occurred in the chemical industry (88%). Exposure to multiple occupational carcinogens was detected frequently (92% of exposed workers). Elevated proportions of deaths from lung and brain cancer, as well as Parkinson's disease, were found among exposed male workers (SMR = 1.3, CI: 1.0 to 1.7; SMR = 1.8, CI: 1.0 to 3.2; and SMR = 2.8, CI: 1.2 to 6.8, respectively). Among other cancers, increased proportions of deaths from multiple myeloma (SMR = 2.9, CI: 1.4 to 5.7), leukemia (SMR = 3.7, CI:1.2 to 11.4), and mesothelioma (SMR = 4.2, CI: 2.2 to 8.1) were also found.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The monitoring of occupational exposures for the prevention of related risks is the main goal of epidemiological surveillance systems such as SIREP. Some acrylonitrile exposure circumstances deserve special attention, especially in the chemical and plastic industries. The excesses mortality from Parkinson's disease, lung cancer, and brain cancer constitute an actual concern for acrylonitrile exposed workers and warrant the implementation of further prevention measures and investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":"602-614"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144101084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"European harmonization of asbestos exposure assessment: comparing PCM, SEM, and TEM to derive conversion factors.","authors":"Remy Franken, Peter Tromp, Torunn Kringlen Ervik, James Staff, Keld Alstrup Jensen, Céline Eypert-Blaison, Anders Brostrøm, Annapaola Cannizzaro, Maria Teresa Sanchez Cabo, Maria Rosaria Bruno, Ana Sofia Fonseca, Laurie Davies, Pål Graff, Suzanne Spaan","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf023","DOIUrl":"10.1093/annweh/wxaf023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>After the European ban on the use of asbestos, exposure assessment of asbestos became imperative for ensuring compliance with safety standards. However, each European country has their own legislation and requirements, including measurement strategies, analytical techniques such as the microscope used as well as occupational exposure limits (OELs). The recent EU directive (EU) 2023/2668 significantly lowered the OEL for asbestos from 100,000 fibres/m³ 8-h time-weighted average to either 2,000 fibres/m³ when counting fibres between 0.2 and 3 µm in diameter, or 10,000 fibres/m³ when counting fibres thinner than 0.2 µm and dictates a transition from optical to electron microscopy analysis by the end of 2029. This change impacts Member States that rely on phase-contrast microscopy (PCM) to quantify asbestos concentrations, prompting the need for a standardized comparison between different analytical methods. Therefore, our study investigated whether conversion factors could be developed, enabling comparison of results obtained with different analytical techniques. To achieve this, a phased approach was applied, involving a survey of measurement strategies implemented by different countries in Europe, a literature search, and analysis of in-house data to explore differences between analytical techniques. Standardized conversion factors were developed via (i) direct comparison of concentrations from analysis with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and/or PCM, (ii) a multiple linear regression model, and (iii) via log probability plots from raw data on fibre dimensions. Ten institutes from the 'Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health' (PEROSH) asbestos network participated in this study. The results showed that SEM and PCM were the most commonly used analytical techniques, with TEM also being used in 3 countries. OELs and measurement standards/protocols varied across countries, and most employed national derived standards for measurements. Conversion factors overall showed that measurements analysed by TEM resulted in higher fibre concentrations followed by PCM and SEM. Although conversion factors were developed, these were influenced by factors such as material type, applied energy, and local controls, preventing the derivation of a general conversion method.</p>","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":"575-591"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12262045/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144141242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}